Loose-leaf book.



F. E. HOUSH.

, LOOSE LEA F 'BO0K| APPLICATION FILED MAY12, 1915. Y

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

TTNTTE ST FRANK E. HOUSE-I, OF XVINTI-IROIP, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOSE-LEAF BOOK.

Application filed May 12, 1915.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. HoUsH, citizen of the United States,residing. at Winthrop, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Loose-LeafBooks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose leaf books and is for an improvement inthe construction of books such as are shown and described in UnitedStates Letters Patent granted to me May 7, 1912, No. 1,025, l68.

A book made as shown and described in the patent referred to holds theleaves or sheets in proper order so long as the covers are securelyfastened to the binding strips and the full thickness of the stack ofleaves is maintained therein, but it has been found that when thin paperis used the sheets curl or are easily bent at the binding edgesparticularly at the slotted portions thereof and therefore are likely toslip out of engagement with the binding strip.

The particular object of the present invention is to provide a looseleaf book so constructed that it will securely hold thin leaves orsheets, prevent the curling or bending of the binding edges, permit theremoval of some of the sheets without liability of others being freedaccidentally, and having a cover which can be opened out fiat thusexposing for use practically all of the surface of the top sheet.

1 In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a partial plan view of myimproved book showing the same in open position; Fig. 2 is a side viewof the book with the covers in closed position; Fig. 3 is an enlargedsection on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a perspective view of theback cover plate of the book shown in Fig. 1 and two of the bindingstrips used therewith; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of thebinding strips hereinafter described; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionalview of one form of binding strip; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectionalview of another form of binding strip.

Having reference to the drawings, A represents the rear side cover of myimproved book and B the front side cover thereof, the back of the book,B, being hinged at b to the rear side cover A and at b to the frontcover B. The cover A comprises preferably a sheet metal plateb inclosedby a cloth or paper covering, 21 integral with Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Serial No. 27,583

the covering of sections B and B. The plate, 6 is provided near one endthereof with a pair of hooks, 6 formed by cutting and bending portionsof the plate, 6 and these hooks are adapted to engage binding strips, 0.The strips C are formed with an obllque tongue adapted to fit into thecorrespondingly oblique slots cut in the end of the stack of leaves, 1).Each binding strip, C, is preferably made from a single piece of sheetmetal cut and bent so as to comprise a body portion, a, and two sides orwings, 0 the tongue, 0, being an inwardly bent portion integral with thebody portlon, 0. After the binding strips, C, have been fitted into andupon the stack of leaves, D, each strip is then engaged with itsrespective retaining hook, Z2 by sliding one of the sides or wings, 0thereof into position under the hook, 6

In the present invention the side pieces or wings, c of the bindingstrip extend be yond the tongue, 0, so that the binding strip engagesand holds together the leaves of the stack at both sides of the slotoccupied by the tongue, 0. This makes it practical to use much thinnerleaves or sheets than heretofore, thereby increasing the capacity of thebook and at the same time allowing the withdrawal of one or more of thesheets, by pulling endwise thereon, without disturbing the others in thestack. This characteristic provides a construction that is particularlyadapted to sales books since while the leaves are normally held securelyin place the top leaf or sheet after it has been written upon can beseparately pulled out of the book without danger of accidentallyremoving the ones below it, thus avoiding the necessity of providingperforated. sheets as is now com mon. Another advantage is that thesheets when so detached from the order book may be filed for futurereference in another binder of like construction. as by the rcmoval inthe manner described there is no mutilation of the sheet itself.

To hold the binding strip, C, against sliding sidewise relatively to thehooks, b and working out of engagement with the slots of the leaves, D.I form the plate. 6 with abutment lugs, 6 bent up at right angles tosaid plate, one at each side of the stack. D. These lugs serve toprevent sidewise movement of the stack of leaves and binding strips whenthe same are engaged by the lugs Z2.

The tongue, 0, of the binding strips, C, is formed by slitting the bodyportion, transversely near one end thereof and longituolinally near eachside wing, 0 part way toward the opposite end of the strip and bendingobliquely inward the tongue or flap thus produced. This mode ofconstruction provides a cross bar, 0 connecting the ends of the bindingstrip which gives rigidity to the strip, assists in positioning thestrip on the stack of leaves and prevents the curling or bending of theleaves at the corners thereof and at the edges of the slots. In Fig. 7 Ihave shown a binding strip made from a single piece of metal bent toform two sides or wings slitted at one end and near each side thereoffor a portion of its length, thus providing the tongue, 0*, which isbent obliquely inward. Obviously this form of binding strip requiresless metal than the binding strip, C, above described.

I claim 1. A loose-leaf book comprising a stack of leaves; a cover;hooks projecting from said cover; binding strips adapted to engage withsaid hooks, each binding strip comprising a body havlng a back adaptedto fit against the edge of the stack of leaves, and

cover; binding strips adapted to engage said hooks, each binding stripcomprising a body having a back adapted to fit against the edge of thestack of leaves and formed with an oblique tongue adapted to fit into aslot in the stack of leaves and having wings perpendicular to the backof the strip at each side of said tongue extending lengthwise of thebody beyond the tongue in both directions so as to hold the leaves ofthe stack against displacement at both sides of the slot.

3. A loose-leaf book comprising a stack of leaves; a cover provided withhooks; binding strips adapted to engage with said hooks and providedwith oblique tongues adapted to be engaged with correspondingly obliqueslots provided in the stack of leaves, the sides of each strip beingextended lengthwise of the latter beyond the tongue so as to overlie thestack at both sides of the slot engaged by said tongue; and a pair ofabutments at each side of the stack to prevent lengthwise slidingmovement of the binding strips relatively to said hooks.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a binding strip consisting of a topand two depending sides; and a tongue connected with the top near itscenter so formed as to lie obliquely between the sides of the strip.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 28th day of April 1915.

FRANK E.

Witnesses JOSEPH T. BRENNAN, FRANCES M. HEALEY.

HoUsH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

